Wednesday's Words on a Friday

On Wednesdays, Elephant’s Child has been putting up a selection of six (or twelve) words which is called “Words for Wednesday”.

She had taken over this meme from Delores, who is gradually retiring from the blogging world.

This month the meme is continued by Jacqueline who writes at Randomosity.

Essentially the aim is to encourage us to write.   

Each week we are given a choice of prompts: which can be words, phrases, music or an image.   What we do with those prompts is up to us:  a short story, prose, a song, a poem, or treating them with ignore...

Some of us put our creation in comments on the post, and others post on their own blog.  I would really like it if as many people as possible joined into this fun meme.  If you are posting on your own blog - let us know so that I, and other participants, can come along and applaud.

 

I’m hopeless at poetry so I always do a story.

It’s a fun challenge…why not join in?

This week's words are:

1. martial

2. vitriol

3. pacifist

4. waves

5. pertinent

6. revived

and/or

1. liquid

2. gamble

3. snatched

4. sapphire

5. epiphany

6. misfortune 

Here is my story:

(We're back with the Fairy children and Gnomes and I got a little carried away. Part one was posted here last Friday.)

The King stomped down the three steps from his throne platform and strode around the group of children.

"Which one of you did this?" he demanded. "Speak up now and tell me why!"

The oldest Fairy child, Talbot, spoke up. "We all did it together, we needed to get your attention and this was the quickest way."

The King marched over and stood nose to nose with Talbot.
"You've got my attention, now tell me why you want it."

The rest of the Fairy children shuffled back a bit as Talbot began to speak.

"You know we are a pacifist group, we exist solely to make pretty things and keep the peace in our small area. But there has been trouble lately. We've had the misfortune to encounter a new group of Brownie Elves. They've been making advances into our village, telling us we need to let them in and give them homes. 

They're rough and rowdy and cause a lot of mischief for the humans, we don't want them, but they've snatched a couple of the younger Fairies and say they'll return them only if we build more houses and let them stay in our village."

"And just what has this to do with me?" asked the King.

Talbot said, "we know you are a martial group, militant, combative; but there is nothing vitriolic about you, you aren't as wicked and evil as you all pretend to be. Not at all antagonistic like these Brownie Elves."

A gasp rose from the gathered Gnomes as he said this. 

Muttering was heard, "we are evil, of course we are evil, wicked too," and Talbot turned to face them. "You're not truly evil, we've been watching for a while now, since the babies were taken a week ago. You all just strut around, looking fierce and making sure no one invades your city."

The King harrumphed a bit at that and finally said, "how is this pertinent to your gamble? You took a great risk by exposing our city with your ring of flowers."

Sapphire, one of the other Fairy children spoke up, "we knew you wouldn't listen to us if we just walked up and knocked on the city gates and we really think you can help us."

"Do you now?" said the King. He thought a moment.

 "I think perhaps we need a proper discussion." 

He called out to the gnomes still clustered in the doorway. "Bring chairs. Bring food and drink. Bring the Elders. We'll have a meeting."

There was much excitement amongst the Gnomes at this statement. Waves of whispers could be heard as they retreated along the dank, dark passage. "A meeting! With the elders! That hasn't happened in several lifetimes!"  

The King walked around the throne chamber and lit the flares lined up around the walls. The room was revealed to be quite spacious, with alcoves in the walls where guardians sat and watched whenever the King slept. 

He lifted the last flare and led the Fairy children down a wider, less dank passage, into a large cave filled with tables and mossy cushions. 

Gnomes were carrying chairs and arranging them around the walls, ready for the Elders who were beginning to file in through an entrance on the far side of the cave. Female Gnomes were laying out platters of fruits and cups of golden liquid. 

As the line of Elders grew longer and longer, the youngest Fairy child, Ruby, fainted at the sight. The King himself scooped her up and handed her to a motherly looking Gnome, who quickly revived Ruby with a sip of the golden liquid, then sat in a chair with Ruby on her lap. 

The King indicated all the Fairy children should sit and eat, saying the meeting proper would not begin until all had been fed and rested.

When everyone had eaten, Elder Grimwald stood and banged his staff on the floor. “The Meeting will begin,” he said. 

“The Fairy children have brought to our attention the Brownie Elves who are harassing their village down in Sunshine Glen; they are asking for our help. 

Of course help will be given, what needs to be discussed is how, and who will go with the children to Sunshine Glen. Group yourselves in tens, discuss and appoint a spokesperson. You have twenty minutes. Each spokesperson will be heard, then all options will be discussed. We may find the epiphany we’ve been waiting for.”